Managing Editor

The Managing Editor (ME) works with books and non-print projects. The Managing Editor supervises the production phases for each project, potentially including project management tasks related to art, photo, design, and permissions, on print as well as non-print products like ancillaries, apps, or enhanced e-books.
Required: Undergraduate or advanced degree, preferably in language-related field or in one of the sport sciences
Preferred: 2+ years of publishing experience, both editorial and production

Managing Editor

Description a. Understands product expectations and treatment level for all suite elements, including the purpose and expectations of the text, artwork, photos, design, and layout. Completes project tasks in accordance with that vision.
b. Understands and follows HK house style, style sheet, and CMS when integrating, copyediting, proofing, and correcting text, artwork, tables, indexes, marketing copy, and covers. Makes good decisions about when it is appropriate to not follow house style, style sheet, or CMS.
c. Provides evaluation of the copyediting with helpful feedback, showing evidence that frequent spot-checks were made throughout the manuscript. Identifies consistency issues and makes good decisions about how to handle inconsistencies.
d. Prepares and proofs all rounds of materials, including content proofs, layout proofs, video content, ancillaries, artwork, cover proofs, and printer proofs, so that products are free of errors and feature correct grammar, usage, and logic. Ensures that similar elements and content throughout a product and product suite are consistent.
e. Evaluates layout of page proofs effectively, especially layout of tables, art, and photos, making sure they’re consistent with the text and placed at appropriate places in the text and that captions make the connection between graphics and text clear. Ensures pages are correctly formatted based on the designer’s sample pages. Constructively offers solutions to layout problems.
f. As appropriate, oversees the production of ancillaries and other non-print components that effectively support the print book, are integrated with the print product and other suite components in terms of content, and follow HK standards. For some ancillaries created wholly within the editorial group, this may include the accurate placement of art/photo/table assets (such as in PowerPoint presentations) or the appropriate styling of Word files (such as in downloaded Instructor Guides or Web Resources).

Description a. Contributes to discussions about target release dates, considering responsibilities of other projects or department goals, as well as the market for the product suite, the treatment level, the budget, and other factors related to the priority of the projects assigned.
b. Stays aware of author delays and makes appropriate adjustments to the schedule to allow release date to still be met for all items in a product suite as necessary.
c. As appropriate for the needs of the product suite, works with publication team to set and meet realistic dates for editorial benchmarks such as copyedit (CE) start, art/photo transmittal, permissions transmittal, content proof generation, design transmittal, production transmittal, rounds of pages, to-printer date, and release. Prioritizes work based on knowledge of individual project priorities and their relationship to a particular season’s list.
d. When responsible for transmitting permissions materials, does so within the appropriate timeline for the division.
e. When responsible for transmitting art and photos, does so at least 2 months prior to the start of the project’s content proof; makes photo selections at least two weeks prior to the project’s content proof.
f. Transmits back cover copy, e-book transmittal forms, metadata forms, and excerpt requests at the appropriate time to allow others to perform their responsibilities on schedule.
g. Finalizes page count by 2nd pages.
h. As appropriate for the suite, initiates the scheduling of appropriate benchmarks for ancillary components (such as art/photo/table repurposing requests for presentation packages or image banks; transmittal to the E-Learning Department for test package and chapter quizzes; video-related transmittals for enhanced e-books or online video products; and relevant triggers for app projects).

Description a. Works with Acquisitions Editor (AcqEd) and publication team at the appropriate time to set and meet realistic budgets.
b. Lets AcqEd and coordinator know when doubts exist about resources being adequate to meet project objectives. Makes good suggestions that follow established policy and systems about how to modify work to meet budgets or modify budgets to meet objectives.
c. When budgets look to be concern, proactively problem-solves with team to come up with ways to meet or address the budget concerns before the budget is overrun.
d. Meets ME budget set on the earliest cost/sales developed after complete manuscript is in hand. Manages project well so that other team members meet their budgets.
e. If necessary, estimates final printed page count on Pricing cost/sales accurately and resolves page count issues before production transmittal. Completes castoffs accurately. Projects meet page counts at first pages. Few page-stage and art corrections are needed, so that money spent on corrections is minimal.
f. Works productively. Uses nonpeak times of the year to focus on training initiatives or other issues related to the improvement of departmental functions.
g. Manages and releases an appropriate number of new projects as compared to others in the department based on treatment level, length, budget, and other factors related to the priority of the projects assigned.

Description a. Clarifies project expectations and treatment level upon assignment and effectively shares appropriate conclusions with in-house colleagues throughout the process as appropriate.
b. Accurately updates publication schedules each week and allows for team input. Communicates weekly with team about project status, priorities, and workload. Consistently participates with designer in planning deadlines for rounds of pages.
c. Responds quickly and professionally to author requests for guidance. Contacts authors biweekly about project status and HK’s expectations of the authors’ involvement. Works with authors to plan when to send copyedit, content proofs, layout proofs, and art proofs so that author knows when to expect them. Authors respond on post-publication questionnaires that they were always aware of project status.
d. Updates the Projects Database, Project Budget Reporting (PBR) database, and Acquisitions Editors each month by the deadline appropriate for each division.
e. Updates the copyeditor and indexer schedules regularly.
f. Contacts Marketing Manager or Marketing Associate as necessary to ensure copy package is ready at the appropriate time so the ad, author copy, and back cover copy can be transmitted to the appropriate Production staff.
g. Keeps colleagues informed about changes that are likely to affect other departments and other parts of the product suite, such as release date changes, title changes, copyright date changes, and other items listed on the ed change form.
h. Participates actively in the management launch meeting. Updates project specs accurately for attendees and works with teammates to set realistic target dates for the various transmittals and release.
i. For product suites and ancillaries, acts as liaison for staff in all departments who are involved with the project. Communicates through discussion with the team, what needs to happen, who’s responsible for it, and when it needs to happen in order to keep everything on-track for the project overall.
j. Works constructively with copyeditors, indexers, designers, production managers, art and photo office staff, permissions staff, authors, acquisition editors, developmental editors, e-learning staff, video staff, the tech group, and coordinators to effectively solve problems that come up during the process.
k. Adapts to unexpected events with appropriate guidance from coordinator, acquisitions editors, developmental editors, and other advisors. Involves acquisitions editor at appropriate time to push authors for manuscripts, revisions, art/photo manuscripts, permissions, or other missing project pieces.

Description a. Thoroughly reviews all project materials upon suite assignment. Asks questions as needed to clarify the project’s vision.
b. Provides project pieces for other staff in an organized manner throughout the publication process. Gives clear direction about tasks that need to be accomplished so that other staff can perform their roles efficiently.
c. Prepares CE prep, content proof prep, and transmittal prep materials that are well organized and complete, according to established procedures for tagging and styling text and callouts. Ingests content into RSuite at the appropriate times and follows established protocols.
d. Appropriately tags conditional content for use in derivative products as needed.
e. Correctly updates information in the art/photo database as described in established procedures.
f. Prepares transmittal materials for ancillary and other non-print components according to established and evolving procedures, such as art/photo/table repurposing requests for image banks or presentation packages, app master plans for the tech group, and test package or chapter quizzes transmittals to the e-learning department.
g. Completes the management portions of various transmittals, which are started by the project’s DE prior to ME assignment:
• Copyediting transmittal
• Permissions transmittal
• Art transmittal
• Photo/video transmittals
• Design transmittal
h. Evaluates and integrates author changes. Makes good decisions about what author corrections to make and not make according to house style and CMS guidelines as well as the project expectations and treatment level. Resolves queries to the author before transmitting the project to the designer and/or returning first pages to the designer.
i. Accurately enters text corrections into Word documents at the content proof stage and at all subsequent layout proof stages to ensure content in Word is the final source for any eventual e-book or other non-print derivatives.
j. Participates actively in the production transmittal meeting. Has all materials complete and is aware of all issues that might affect the production process. Gives thorough information about missing pieces and their status, including accurate information about when missing pieces will be available. Makes good decisions about when to delay a content proof or production transmittal in order to resolve missing pieces or other issues.
k. Prepares thorough and clear indexing transmittal materials that effectively communicate the specific needs of the project.
l. Provides materials as requested by colleagues working on other parts of the product suite.

Supervisory & Other
Supervisory Responsibilities Monitors work of authors and publication team members to ensure that projects are completed accurately and according to HK and Division standards, budget and design requirements are met, and all project parts are completed in a timely manner or by a predetermined deadline.

Education
Undergraduate or advanced degree, preferably in language-related field or in one of the sport sciences
Preferred: 2+ years of publishing experience, both editorial and production

Qualifications
Excellent writing and editing skills
Excellent analytical and organizational abilities
Demonstrates proofreading proficiency by completing HK’s diagnostic test with an errors score of 18/23 or higher and a queries score of 11/21 or higher
Demonstrates spelling proficiency by completing HK’s diagnostic test with a score of 12/15 or higher
Superior interpersonal skills
Proficiency with word processing programs
Knowledge of electronic publishing, including not only XML but also other e-book standards and behavior of content within an e-reading device.